Projectile.



F, M. ROSS PROJECILE APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 19H.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Pty 1.

Frio@ FREDERICK M. ROSS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PBOJECTILE.

`Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

` An object of my invention is to produce an improved projectile `of the expanding type adapted for use in the cutting and tearing awayof submarine periscopes, air craft guy wires, fighting masts, wireless antennae and barbed wire entanglements.

A further object is to produce an improved projectile of the expanding type in which the expansion of the projectile takes place immediatelyv upon its leaving the gun and in which the elements' of the projectile are moved to 'their' expanded positions and held therein against collapse.

These and other objects are attained in j the projectile described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a projectile embodying my invention, as applied toshells in which the casing, the charge and the projectile are combined, in

the course of manufacture.

` Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view of the form of my improved projectile for Vuse in instances where ,the charge is not carried by the shell. j

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the projectile expanded.

Fig. 4t is a transverse sectional view taken v on the line ,L -lof Fig. 2 and upon an enlarged scale. v Fig. 5 1s a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig.y 6 is a detail sectional view of the preferred form of grinding of the blades.

My improved projectile consists of a body portion 7, a series of arms 9 which are herein disclosed to be knife blades pivotally mounted at their rear `ends and occupying slots 10 within. the body' of the projectile, and means generally designated by numeral 11, for causing the blades to be released by the discharge of the explosive behind the projectile so as to expand upon leaving the muzzle of the gun. In the preferred embodiment disclosed in the drawings, I have provided the body 7 of the projectile with a series of four radial longitudinally ex- `Specification of Letters Patent.

groove 13 formed in the body 7.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.,

Application filed May 9, 1917. Serial No. 167,418.

tending slots '101 inY each one of which a knife blade 9 is mounted. At the rear end of eachfknife blade a pin l2 is provided, the pin of each blade occupying an annular to retain the pins within groove 13, I have provided a collar 14 which is slotted at points 15 to fit over the knife blades and to pass each end of each of the pins to confine them t the groove, as disclosed in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. Thus the blades are free to rotate within the groove when they are moved from their contracted to their expanded positions or vice versa. Each blade 9 is provided with a lug 16 which islocated on its inner or sharpened edge and which extends to the rear of the projectile when the blades are in their folded positions, as disclosed in Fig. 2, and which extend inwardly toward one another when the blades are moved to their extended positions as disclosed in Fig. 3. Against the .rear `ends. of the knife blades, when they are in their folded positions, one end of a coil spring 17 bears, the

In order j opposite end of the spring bearing against a removable cap 1S which'is screwed on to the rear end of the body "i of the projectile. lVhen the blades are in their expanded positions the forward end of spring 17 bears against the edges of lugs 1G of the blades j. to hold them in their expanded positions as closed in Fig. 3. In the construction of my improved projectile I preferably form the body 7 of two sections comprising a portion 7a in which slots 10 are formed and a head 7b which is secured to portion 7n by means of screw threads 7c. This feature of construction is 'to enable the body portion to be constructed practically from the standpoint of large aroduction, it being easier to form the head rb by drawing it in the well known manner and forming portion 7EL by 4milling the slots 10 straight through from one end to the other, than to form the body of a single piece and then mill the slots therein. However, to vary the construction for the purpose of adapting it to economical methjectile will then be sent through the air withv ods of production in large quantities, does not necessitate a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention.

In the operation of my improved proj ectile the parts are brought to the position disclosed in Fig. 2 in which plunger 21 is in engagement with the inner edges of lugs 16 to Ahold the parts in their folded positions. These positions cause spring 17 to be compressed. VAs .soon asthe charge of explosive behindthe projectile is exploded, the force Yof the explosionpushes spindle QOofplunger 21 inwardly toV cause it to occupyjthe position disclosed in Fig. 3. This `frees the blades or arms 9 so that instantly upon the p'rojectiles leaving the muzzle of the gun, the blades will be expanded by spring 17 to the positions disclosed inV Fig. 3. The prosubstantially no increased resistance and yet will have'V a materially increased range of ldfestructiveness because of' the expanse v0ccupied by the vblades when in their expanded positions.'."In,firing atmperiscopes of submarines, at guy wires of air craft, and an'u tenna of wireless apparatus, the small diameter of such targets, rendersy the chances of hitting them with ordinary projectiles small andvlikewise increases the probability Vof a bul-lets richocheting'.` I` he added size of my projectile multiplies the chances of vhitting such' targets, and likewiser Wercomesvr the tendency of the proj ectiles ricocheting.

' wise the ordinary wireentanglements, areY YThewov'en wire meshes ofwhich fighting masts' upon ships are composed, and likelittle affected by an ordinary projectile, the

former because the holes made by the pro jectiles are too small tomaterially affect the strength of the masts', and the Vlatter becauseV of the probabilities `of the projectiles ricocheting. Applicants projectile effectively Y destroys the lighting masts, because of, the

Vsize ofthe holes which it tears therein, and

' the edges of shell casing Sover 'the' inner ends of the folded blades. In such a construction Vwhen the force of theY explosion causes the projectiler to*V be discharged from theshell casing 8, the blades are released so that theyv expand as soon as the projectile leaves the gun. Y

I prefer to have the blade formed Vas shown in Fig. G'so that the angle between sitions when Vvreleased, and a trigger. engagingtheends ofthe arms, adapted to release the arms :to swing inv response. to the pressure ,of rkthe.l springv when the' propelling charge ofthe projectile' is exploded. A l 2. A projectile consisting of a body having a series of longitudinally extending slots,

a series of arms pivotally mounted atone end in the. slots, a coil springA engaging vthe ends of theY arms atfdifferentI-points ofits periphery, vadaptedto swing the arms from the slots to an extended position-with relation Vto thebody, anda trigger engaging the ends of the arms, adapted to bev operated to release theV arms to permit movement thereof in response to. the action of the spring.

e Aprojectile consisting of a body portion having a series of longitudinally extending slots, a series of arms located wholly within the slots, pins located at fthe ends of 'the' arms and mounted withinv a groove formed within the body portion,fmeans for retaining the pins within the groove, a

spring adapted ,normally 'to move the 'arms pelling charge of theV projectile, adapted to releasethe arms Yto permit them. to-move to Vtheir expandedy positions. l

4. A projectile consisting of'a bodyyhaving a series of longitudinally extending'slots,

a series of arms located within the slots, a

vpivot'pin mounted'uponeach'arm, a collar adapted to retain the pivotpin within Vthe body't'o pivotally mountthe arms therein, a

spring normally tending to Vmove the arms to expanded positions with relation 'toj the V body, and a trigger operative in response to the explosive pressureV of` the propelling charge of the, projectile ,and adaptedfto release the varms to permit Vthem tomoveto their expanded positions in response to-thc actionwof the spring/ A nIn' testimony whereof, Il haveV hereunto subscribed 4my name this 7th day of "May,

Y FREDERICK ROSS.l `Vitnesses: r WALTER F. MURRAY, Y

` W. THORNTON Boerner;l i

Copies of this patent may be 'obtained for -ve cents each', by addressingV the fcommissicner o1 Ptents,` i Washington, D. CJ 

